Applications of Polypeptide Hydrogels in Cartilage-Regeneration Engineering

Articular cartilage defects are considered to be associated with the development of osteoarthritis. Research on relevant tissue regeneration is important in the treatment of osteoarthritis. The scaffolds applied in cartilage regeneration should have good histocompatibility and mechanical properties, as well as no cytotoxicity, and promote the proliferation and differentiation of seed cells. Different combinations of peptide sequences in polypeptide hydrogels endow them with unique characteristics including excellent biodegradability and accurate simulation of the extracellular matrix of chondrocytes to maintain the stability of the chondrogenic phenotype and facilitate articular hyaline cartilage regeneration. Thus, the application of polypeptide hydrogels for cartilage regeneration has a bright future. In this study, the research progress of polypeptide hydrogels used in cartilage-regeneration engineering is systematically reviewed. The characteristics, limitations, and prospects of these materials are evaluated.